Supermarkets are pretty much of a muchness – same set up, same products.

However, Bureta Countdown has something special, something quite different, something that sets it apart. And her name Marleina Kerepa.

One of the best – champion checkout Marleina Kerapa of Bureta Countdown.

She's a customer service manager but also a cracker-jack checkout operator – one of the top three Countdown operators in the country, as it turns out.

Marleina was weeded out from 490 applicants for the supermarket chain's 2015 Checkout Operator of the Year title.

The process involved interviews and several rounds of testing at the checkout.

Competitors had to scan 60 items, including fresh produce, alcohol, meat and chilled foods, and there were a few carefully-laid traps in the trolley.

They included cracked eggs and opened or damaged packaging – and all this while engaging with the customer.

The winner of the competition will be announced at an awards dinner on September 21, in Auckland.

The winner will take home an antique register trophy and a $1,000 gift card.